Winter Park Starts Whittling On Budget

July 23, 1986|By Yvonne C.T. Vassel of The Sentinel Staff

WINTER PARK — In its budget workshops Monday and Tuesday morning, the city commission began whittling requests for more than $3.3 million in equipment and building costs down to the $100,000 it may have to spend on such projects.

The list of projects ranges from replacing two air conditioners at the community center for $23,100 to building a fire station and dispatch center for $1.5 million.

The commissioners immediately deleted the fire station proposal but decided to consider the air conditioners further. Between now and Sept. 26, when the commission will approve a final budget and property tax rate, any project tentatively approved this week can be rejected and other can be added.

The commission was scheduled to adopt a proposed tax rate Tuesday night and that is likely to be at least 2.5 mills, the rate proposed by City Manager David Harden. That means homeowners would pay $2.50 on each $1,000 of taxable property value.

At that rate, and with other revenue, the city hopes to raise $11.8 million its general fund, which pays for traditional government services like police and fire protection.

Harden said a millage rate of 2.5 is needed to maintain current service levels. The current tax rate is 1.85 mills.

''We can't absorb a $300,000 increase in insurance costs without cutting back on services or increasing taxes. With the probable end of federal revenue sharing this year we have a choice of stopping capital projects or paying for them from locally raised funds,'' said Harden.

The city also needs to adjust its salary scales if it wants to attract and keep ''capable, well-motivated employees,'' Harden told the commission.

If the final rate is set at 2.5 mills, that will be 41.2 percent more than the rollback rate of 1.77 mills. The rollback rate is the millage at which the city would raise the same amount of revenue as this year.

At 2.5 mills, the city estimates it would raise $2.3 million from property taxes. That is a 43.7 percent increase over the $1.6 million it will have collected in the current fiscal year that ends Sept. 30.

Projects the commission is considering funding include replacing the roof on the Kraft Azalea Gardens pump house, $5,570; resurfacing three tennis courts at Azalea Lane Recreation Center, $6,000; replacing garage doors at two fire stations, $10,000; and modifying city hall restrooms for the handicapped, $27,375.